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Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sugar Snap Peas with Fresh Mint Oil

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite summer dishes. Sugar snap peas are a cross between snow and English peas and they are one of the easiest of vegetables to prepare. They are crisp and sweet and, unlike the English pea, even the pod is edible. It is, however, advisable to remove the strings from both sides of the peas before cooking. This is done by removing the tip of the pea, pinching the string between your fingers and pulling downward towards the opposite end. I love to make this version of snap peas when I grill lamb chops. The mint oil that is made to dress the peas can also be used as a marinade for lamb chops, assuring that nothing goes to waste. This is a five ingredient recipe that is sophisticated in its simplicity. The peas can be served hot or cold. I usually make them ahead of time and serve them at room temperature. It is one less thing to worry about when trying to get dinner on the table. I must warn you that these are addicting. I have to slap my own hand when I make them. If you are looking for new ways to prepare old standby vegetables, I know you'll love this recipe. You simply can't beat fast, easy and delicious. Here's the recipe.

Directions:1) Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add mint and blanch just until it is limp and turns bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove mint from pan with a slotted spoon. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking and set color. Drain mint, squeezing out excess liquid. Place mint in blender jar and pulse until finely chopped. With blender running, slowly add oil and blend until mint is pureed. Transfer to a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.2) Add salt to water in which mint cooked. Bring to a boil. Blanch peas until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Plunge peas into a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons mint oil. Arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt if using. Garnish with lemon wedges. Yield: 4 servings.

48 comments
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What a GREAT!!! side dish and the Fresh Mint Oil sound WONDERFUL!!! Just went to Costco today and bought a bag of Sugar Snap Peas, they are a favorite. I'll be adding this dish to my Father's Day meal.Geri

One of my earliest memories is of stringing sugar snap peas. My mother steamed them and treated them with a bit of melted butter, salt and pepper. I've never paired them with mint but it sounds delicious and we'll have them that way after my next visit to the farmers' market. As usual, the mint is taking over the herb garden!

just wanted to say how much i love your blog... found it via another great food blog (always the way) and I think your recipes are delightful... I now need to find a spare month to read them all... wonderful photography also.

I grew sugar snap peas for the first time this spring and loved watching the vines tendril up the trellis. The peas were so sweet, barely needed cooking. (just occasional "stringing" as you point out.)

Your mint oil, though, is a perfect accent for this vegetable.

Thank you for visiting my blog; I look forward to visiting yours again soon!

Hi Mary, though i have no this kind of peas here i love the mint oil and i am going to make it, and i will try it with green beans - i know it is not the same. How is it possible that i always love your recipes?Big hug and have a wonderful day.

Mary, this just might make me change my mind about snap peas. When I was a child, my mother went away for a couple of days to visit her aging father. Grandma, who was a decent cook and an excellent baker, made us a chicken with sugar snap peas, without removing the strings! The Serbs tend to cook the green veggies until they become grey, and we spent hours trying to eat this dish. It was horrible! That was the first and the last time I indulge in snap peas. But, I am willing to be converted!

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